AI in Medicine: The Ethical Storytelling Challenge

The fast rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has sparked concerns. Some worry that AI might push aside the social sciences, arts, and literature that make up the medical humanities. However, there is another way to see this. AI, especially the kind based on large language models (LLM), is deeply rooted in storytelling. LLM-based AI is trained on huge amounts of narrative data. It also produces outputs in narrative formats. This means that AI in healthcare is all about creating and understanding stories. This is where the medical humanities come in. They are more important than ever. They help us see the practical and ethical sides of using AI responsibly in healthcare. To understand this better, let's look at two examples of AI in healthcare. These cases show how narrative medicine and the medical humanities provide important tools. They help us assess, use, and critique the roles and impacts of AI in healthcare. The key point is this: AI doesn't replace storytelling in medicine. Instead, it makes storytelling even more important. Using AI responsibly in healthcare means paying close attention to the role of narratives. It also means valuing the medical humanities. Many people think AI will take over medicine. But it's not that simple. AI can help, but it can also cause problems. For instance, it might not understand cultural differences. Or it might not pick up on subtle clues in a patient's story. This is why the medical humanities are so important. They help us see the full picture. In the end, AI in healthcare is about more than just technology. It's about understanding and telling stories. It's about seeing the human side of medicine. And it's about using AI in a way that respects and values that humanity. The medical humanities play a big role in this. They help us navigate the complex world of AI in healthcare.